Captive breeding of pangolins: current status, problems and future prospects

By

Hua, Liushuai
Gong, Shiping
Wang, Fumin
Li, Weiye
Ge, Yan
Li, Xiaonan
Hou, Fanghui

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2015

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

507

Pages

99-114

Subjects

captive breeding , Conservation , dietary husbandry , Disease , Pangolin

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.507.6970

 

Abstract

Pangolins are unique placental mammals with eight species existing in the world, which have adapted to a highly specialized diet of ants and termites, and are of significance in the control of forest termite disaster. Besides their ecological value, pangolins are extremely important economic animals with the value as medicine and food. At present, illegal hunting and habitat destruction have drastically decreased the wild population of pangolins, pushing them to the edge of extinction. Captive breeding is an important way to protect these species, but because of pangolin’s specialized behaviors and high dependence on natural ecosystem, there still exist many technical barriers to successful captive breeding programs. In this paper, based on the literatures and our practical experience, we reviewed the status and existing problems in captive breeding of pangolins, including four aspects, the naturalistic habitat, dietary husbandry, reproduction and disease control. Some recommendations are presented for effective captive breeding and protection of pangolins.